One Step at a Time
by starblaze
Summary: A haunting past makes sure Lily changes everything about her; her heritage is the thing that disables her, and just as she is recovering, love decieves her, RR!


One Step at a Time  
  
Disclaimer: was reading this awesome story called Actions Speak Louder Than Words (by snowflakey) and got an idea for this story.don't worry its nothing like that story, I wouldn't steal.and my sis says it (this story) sounds a little like What Katy Did..hmm anywho, anyone you recognize is J.K. Rowling's..Song's by 3 doors down, I absolutely love it! (it reminds me of Smallville)  
  
A/n: I'm putting up WAFSB's next chappie along with this so you all won't kill me..hehe  
  
Do not be fooled by the first few sentences, everything will be explained later in the chapter, or later in the story!!! Enjoy!!  
  
~*~*~*  
  
"Lily," I could almost hear his voice. It was silky and soft. How I loved that voice.  
  
"Lily, go. Go to Hogwarts! You must! Lily it's wonderful really it is." It had told me. Then the voice turned into a low whisper, "But Lily, be careful. Make sure no one knows that you know me! Just listen to me. Change your looks, and attitude. If not he'll find you!!" The panic in that voice had not left me even 5 years later.  
  
I snapped back to reality as I heard a loud CRUNCH. I looked up from the table I was studying at to see Sirius Black and Remus Lupin playing chess. Apparently Sirius being short tempered, had "accidentally" set fire to his bishop and then inflated it. He had dropped it to the ground in attempts to stop it from burning; instead he had ended up smashing it.  
  
I smiled and giggled. Remus was laughing hysterically and Sirius was standing dazed and confused as to why the ceramic pieces had cracked under his gigantic foot. They spotted me laughing and came over to me.  
  
"Hey Lily!" Sirius grinned cheekily, "How's my favorite brunette?"  
  
"Better than you!" I replied smiling back at him fingering my curly brown hair.  
  
"You know Lily, if you weren't my friend, I'd be hitting on you!" Sirius whispered in a low hoarse whisper.  
  
"You already do," I said lazily, winking at Remus, who immediately blushed.  
  
"What's up Lily?" he asked.  
  
"Ahh, you know the normal, homework, running away from Malfoy, pranking James senseless, helping Selena wrap up her herbology essay," I counted off on my fingers.  
  
At Selena's name Sirius snorted.  
  
"Good for nothing.."  
  
"Hey Sirius!" I warned, "Don't go around insulting my friends."  
  
"But she's hopeless!"  
  
"She's your sister, mind you."  
  
Remus grinned, "Older right?"  
  
Sirius flushed, "By thirty three seconds!"  
  
"Whatever Sirius, she's a heck of a lot better than you at Potions!" I retorted.  
  
"Fine, hehe Lily. I just realized something," Sirius said changing topics.  
  
"What now, Sirius?" Both Remus and I looked at him.  
  
"Well how could you be.er.you know running away from Malfoy?" he put it gently pointing at my legs.  
  
Remus groaned slightly, unaware if I was going to blow up at Sirius or not.  
  
I smiled sweetly, "Sirius, don't go there."  
  
Sirius gulped and got up.  
  
I put my hand down around the wheels of my wheelchair. All of a sudden memories flooded me.  
  
~*~  
  
"STOP!" I cried, but the pain kept getting worse.  
  
"Or what, mudblood?" was the cruel taunting voice.  
  
"Please, for god's sake stop!" I sobbed. I was alone in the dark hallway across from the charms classroom, regretting being here alone.  
  
The person in front of me was in a hooded robe, but I could almost feel the smirking they were doing. If it was a girl or boy, I couldn't tell.  
  
They raised their wooden club, which resembled a beater's club in Quidditch, and brought it down hard upon my knees. The pain filled my brain. Hot searing pain. I could barely see over the tears escaping form my eyes. I yelled, hoping, praying that someone would find me. It was pointless; everyone was in the Great Hall for lunch.  
  
They raised the club once more and brought it down again, this time on my shins. I heard an awkward crunch as I struggled to keep awake. I was already on the ground and try as I might I couldn't get up. The pain was unbelievable. Then I heard footsteps. Maybe I was imagining them. May be I wanted someone to show up so bad.no the hooded person heard the footsteps too. He or she stopped whatever they were doing and took out their wand. All I heard was a mumble of whispers as a bright orange light hit my legs.  
  
I saw Selena and Dumbledore turn the corner followed by McGonagall and the marauders. Then I passed out.  
  
~*~  
  
Everyone said fixing broken bone would be easy for Madame Pompfrey. They were wrong. Apparently that last curse to hit me was to prevent my wounds from healing anyway by magic, so I saw a muggle doctor and they told me I would be in a wheelchair. This would have to mend nature's way.  
  
They told me it would take time. Years, decades even my entire life, because my bones were split so bad. They even said I might never walk again.  
  
I took it. So there I sat four years later, still in a wheelchair.  
  
I was snapped back down to earth as the portrait door swung open and an upset looking James Potter followed and an angry Selena walked in.  
  
STOP.  
  
James Potter, aka the love of my life. So to say as by everyone in, well, the school. Me? I never looked twice at the guy. Okay, so yeah he was cute. Decent looking, and half intelligent, but come on, it was not going to happen.  
  
James Potter was part of the marauders, four infamous boys, notorious for reeking utter and uber havoc on Hogwarts. Yeah they were friendly to us, Selena and me, but only because Selena was Sirius' twin. And Remus had a crush on her. And we were all just one big happy family.  
  
Yeah right.  
  
There's another world inside of me  
  
That you may never see  
  
There's secrets in this life  
  
That I can't hide  
  
Somewhere in this darkness  
  
There's a light that I can't find  
  
Maybe it's too far away...  
  
Maybe I'm just blind...  
  
I put on a flirty face, "So Jamesiepoo.."  
  
He gives me a dirty look, "Not now Evans. Unlike you and your pea sized brain, I actually have important intelligent things to worry about."  
  
Ouch. What he doesn't know is, I'M the top in our class, save maybe transfiguration. So maybe I ACT a little ditzy but does anyone actually realize it is an ACT?!?! Oh no, they're all worrying their pretty little heads about "important" things, like who was dating whom, and the upcoming quidditch match.  
  
Well its not like they're supposed to know I'm smart. If they did, it would not only result in my life being in danger but all of theirs as well. So I drop it and shrug.  
  
I push the wheels and direct myself to Selena. She doesn't even glance up but begins talking as if she immediately knows it's me.  
  
"That stupid git Malfoy." she cursed so profoundly that Sirius, who was walking by, gave a gasp.  
  
"What did he do now?" I asked pretty sure of what was coming.  
  
"Insulting you of course," she replied her face red with anger.  
  
I shrugged, "What else is new?"  
  
"How can you take it so calmly?" she asked about to burst from all the anger.  
  
"Easy," I replied nonchalantly, "there are only six muggleborns in this school. The twenty-three that USED to be here have been chased out by Malfoy's gang and have all transferred to Beauxbatons in France, because Voldie-baby's not gotten to France yet. So of course, muggle-borns are much more welcome there. I feel proud to know that I one of the few that he hasn't gotten to yet."  
  
I saw her and the entire Common Room flinch at my mention of Voldemort. Someone very smart had warned m from the very beginning, that being afraid of Voldemort would only cause him to get to me faster. And I couldn't risk it after.  
  
"How do you know?" Selena barely whispered.  
  
I was confused. Know what?  
  
"How do you know that he hasn't gotten to you?" Selena repeated glancing down at my wheelchair sadly.  
  
I flinched remembering the horrible pain, "No one can prove it was him."  
  
"Who else would it be?" came a new voice.  
  
"Remus, it could've been anyone." I replied, not sure whether or not I should look at him.  
  
"Oh come on, Lily. Whom here do we all know that tries hardest to get rid of muggleborns?" he said as if suggesting the most obvious thing.  
  
"Ohhh, I dunno. Bellatrix Black? Or Narcissa?" I replied cheekily, glancing at Sirius and Selena. They both looked solemn. I shivered. I would be serious too, if my cousins were like the two girls.  
  
Remus shook his head smiling sadly.  
  
"That's your problem, Lily. You see too much good in people."  
  
I gasped, "You mean I'm supposed to see BAD in them?"  
  
I saw Selena smile weakly.  
  
"Oh come on, you three, are you TRYING to force me into depression?" I mocked anger.  
  
"LILY!" was Sirius voice as he cracked a smile.  
  
"Good, 'cause after that haughty remark by James, I want a prank." I said cheering everyone up.  
  
I made sure they were all busy planning before turning my wheelchair around and going to my room. You see since the girls' dorms are up steps; my wheelchair can't get there. I have my own separate room (and bathroom) to the right of the stairs, with its own password.  
  
I paused at the one of he hangings, one with a lion on it. I muttered, "Cinamonsticks" and watched as the hanging fluttered up to reveal an oak door. I pushed the door open and entered my room. I threw my bag, which hangs on the side of my wheelchair onto my study desk and went to my bed.  
  
I shakily stood up and immediately collapsed onto the bed. They were still weak. Better, but weak. I looked over at my digital clock. 7:59pm. One minute to go.  
  
I could almost hear the clock turn 8, as my face felt like something warm had been splashed onto it. I glanced into the mirror. Time for the real Lily Evans to come out. My chestnut brown curl magically grew and straightened bringing my hair down to just below my shoulders. It was strikingly red, contrasting greatly to the brown locks I had sported a few moments ago. Then I felt a tingling sensation as my eyes turned from gray to a beautiful emerald. As I watched in the mirror, the Lily Evans I loved came out. Not the one hiding everything from the magical world, including the past. But the Lily Evans who could be proud of her family. Proud of her brother.  
  
Julian. What could I say? My big brother had been my life. He was 6 years older and spoiled me rotten. I remember vividly. It was two weeks before my eleventh birthday and I couldn't wait to get my Hogwart's letter. Julian said he was sure I would get it because he had seen me do magic. I was going to Hogwarts he told me. Just like him. My older sister Petty, or Petunia despised me just for it. Then disaster struck. We got a call in the middle of the night from someone named Potter. They told us there had been an accident and Julian, my brother Julian, was in the hospital.  
  
We rushed to the hospital. It was a wizarding one. St. Mungo's, I think it was called. There he was, lying on a white linen bed, covered by a thick blanket. There were no cuts or bruises. What had happened?  
  
The doctors told us later, death eaters had cursed him with Cruciatus Curse so badly that it was a miracle that he was even alive. He didn't have long, they said maybe a few months. I spent the night there at the hospital next to him as he told me all these magnificent stories about mystical creatures and magic. The months passed, I got my Hogwart's letter and Julian persuaded me to go, telling me that the magical world wasn't all bad.  
  
Then August 31st I came to see him. Right before he drifted off to sleep he whispered to me all the stories I had never heard before, all the horrible and terrible stories about how muggleborns were treated there. How Voldemort had wanted him because he was smart, and when Julian refused, death eaters attacked. He made me promise that I would never reveal that I was related to him, so I wouldn't risk the same happening to me. He said for me to work hard and get good grades, but be careful not let anyone ELSE know about them. He told me that people could deceive me and tell Voldemort. He told me more than I needed to know, but at least I would be safe, he said.  
  
Amazingly Julian recovered from the attack but was hospital-bound, because he had gone into a coma.  
  
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. I lay back down on my bed and thought back to my first day at Hogwarts. It was so strange. Every person I went up to upon hearing my name, asked me if I knew a Julian Evans. I stayed true to my promise to my brother and denied any knowledge. The people however seemed almost, disappointed, that I didn't know of him.  
  
After I was sorted into Gryffindor I came across my first meeting with James. He was sitting across from me at the feast and looked troubled. I asked him what was up and he asked me if I had ever heard of Julian Evans. I politely said no and he looked dejected. I questioned to why and got the biggest shock of my life.  
  
Julian Evans and his older sister Rachel Potter had been going out. The night that Julian had been attacked, Rachel had been too. They had been engaged.  
  
Then it struck me. The Potters had called that night. I faintly remembered a very pretty girl in the bed next to Julian's.  
  
I shook my head again to clear my thoughts. This wasn't working I grabbed my thick black cloak and sat back into my wheelchair. I needed some fresh air.  
  
A/n: What do you think? It'll get better, but it was an idea. And yes Lily will walk again..oh and if I didn't mention it Lily's in fifth year...please r/r I need to know how it was! I will be updating WAFSB don't worry..  
  
I just tried out the bolds and italics. Let me know if it worked k?  
  
READ AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!! 


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